Toronto Maple Leafs 2010 Preview & Predictions

Toronto Maple Leafs 2010 Season Preview, Predictions Picks & Odds

With the NHL Hockey season just around the corner, we are providing season previews for all 30 teams to give you the betting edge. Follow the best NHL Hockey Handicappers as they analyze their teams in this 2010 season preview. Use our comprehensive and insider info to bet successfully on the NHL in our recommend sportsbooks. View the rest of our 2010 NHL Season Previews here.

TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS

2009-10 record: 30-38-14
Shootout Record: 4-4
Division Finish: 5th, Northeast
Conference Finish: 15th, Eastern
Goals For: 214
Goals Against: 267

Toronto Maple Leafs 2010 Preview

In the midst of a second summer of major rebuilding, Brian Burke was asked just how long until the Maple Leafs’ house is in order and a playoff party can be planned.

The work accelerated as the off season wore on, with a significant trade and free-agent signing. The Leafs added at least one more of the top six forwards they’d lacked in Kris Versteeg, of the Stanley Cup champion Chicago Blackhawks. He can play first-line left wing, with potential40-goal man Phil Kessel on the other side.

Third-line right winger Colby Armstrong was then added via free agency from Atlanta to give more bite to the bottom six forwards.

Toronto signed Red Wings’ blueliner Brett Lebda, in the hope that Lebda would help get the Leafs to post-season action for the first time in five years and do well beyond that.

Running the show on the ice will be Dion Phaneuf, who made such an impact in the final two months of the season after arriving in a trade with Calgary that Burke and coach Ron Wilson named him the new captain after a two-year search to replace Mats Sundin.

It turns out Armstrong and Phaneuf are friends from the WHL and that Versteeg knows third-year defenseman Luke Schenn.

Phaneuf had Kadri to his summer home/training facility in Prince Edward Island, all of which has the young Leafs bonding weeks before training camp.

But the big improvement that’s needed to get them over the playoff hump is going to be in goal.

Struggling recently to find just one netminder who can do the job, Toronto might have a 1-2 punch with veteran Jean-Sebastien Giguere and second year man Jonas Gustavsson. The latter was rushed a bit too quickly in the autumn while slowed by two heart related ailments that required minor surgery. But he looked much more comfortable at the end.

An unfortunate series of one-goal losses the past few years keep robbing the Leafs ‘of vital playoff points, but they seem to be finally getting the hang of shootouts and protecting leads.

Komisarek missed the second half of the year with a shoulder injury that turned into season ending surgery. Kessel had abdominal issues at the end after missing the first month recovering from shoulder surgery.

2010 Toronto Maple Leafs Offense:

Kessel scores in streaks and has a quick release that has fooled many goalies. His 30 goals last year, five of them game winners, came without benefit of training camp or an experienced NO.1 center. That job could revert to sophomore Tyler Bozak if there isn’t a trade for veteran help. Versteeg will be gunning for a third consecutive 20-goal season. Winger Nikolai Kulemin improved his defensive play and thus could still get in some first-line time. Armstrong had 15 goals on a weak Thrashers team and Burke hinted he might move him up to the second line if warranted. Mikhail Grabovski has strayed from the team path a couple of times, but can be an effective center or winger. His position depends on whether 2009 top draft pick Kadri makes the team.

2010 Toronto Maple Leafs Defense:

Things should run a lot smoother this autumn now that Kornisarek and Francois Beauchemin know their roles on the team. The two free agents tried far too much to justify their big salaries and that led to a horrible start for themselves and the team. Now the hard-hitting Phaneuf will take some heat off of them, as well as get in some power-play time. A delightful surprise was Swede Carl Gunnarsson, who was an excellent positional player and a timely replacement for Komisarek. Big Schenn fell back a bit after a strong rookie season, but Lebda’s presence should help a few of the less experienced Leafs.

2010 Toronto Maple Leafs Goaltending:

Gustavsson had a couple of promising streaks stopped either by his racing heartbeat, struggling teammates or bad luck in overtime/shootouts where he lost nine times. But between the sessions with goaltending instructor Francois Allaire and the input from Giguere, vast improvements were seen in the 25-year-old’s mechanics by April. ‘. Giguere had lost his job in Anaheim, but Burke knew his old Cup-winning goalie wanted to come East and that he had the proper temperament to get along with Gustavsson while retaining some playing time. He ended the year with three shutouts for 34 in his career.

Toronto Maple Leafs 2010 Special Teams

Whether it was due to the inconsistent goaltending or not, the Leafs’ penalty killing has been dead last for two straight seasons. In fairness, it was vastly improved after the late-season trades for Giguere, Phaneuf and shot blocking forward Fredrik Sjostrom. Any playoff aspirations have to start with an improvement in this area. The double whammy saw the Leafs’ power play also bring up the rear at 30th, though expect hard shooters such as Phaneuf and Versteeg to improve their numbers and Kessel to add to his club-high eight from last season.

Toronto Maple Leafs 2010 Season Predictions

Every other team in the Northeast Division made the playoffs last year and almost every team that missed the playoffs in the Southeast made coaching and/or management changes. That only makes it more difficult for Toronto to make the playoffs. Reversing a few of the many one-goal losses would help the cause dramatically.

We predict that the Toronto Maple Leafs will finish 5th in the NHL Northeast.

Toronto Maple Leafs Betting

Toronto Maple Leafs Stanley Cup Odds: +5000
Toronto Maple Leafs Eastern Conference Odds: +2500

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